Converter.



H. HAAS.

CONVERTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.13,1913.

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INVENTOR WITNESSES QZ flu4*v$% 2 M In. MW Wing ATTORNEY THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTO L/THU WASHINGTON D T H. HAAS.

CONVERTER.

APPLICATION FILED 14111.13, 1913.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

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HERBERT HAAS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CONVERTER.

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Application filed January 13, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT Hans, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Fran cisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Converters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the process of, and apparatus for, converting mattes, speisses, and other metallic compounds.

Considering, for the purpose of illustrating my invention, the conversion of mattes into copper, at present this operation is intermittent. The matte is blown, during the first stage of the process, to white metal Cu S, in which stage a portion of the sulfur is burnt off, and the iron is oxidized, and also converted into a silicate by supplying to the molten charge silicious fluxing material, which supply is effected, either by making the converter lining of silicious ore, or, if a non-corrosive lining is used, by supplying this silicious ore periodically through the converter mouth, or supplying it continuously by blowing it in the form of sand through the twyers with the air used in converting. When the iron of the matte has been slagged, the converter is tilted, and the slag is poured off, or skimmed, the

converter is tilted back into its original position, and the white metal obtained in the first stage of the process is blown to blister copper, the sulfur still remaining in the copper.

My present improvements have for their objects to provide a process of and apparatus for converting mattes to blister copper continuously instead of intermittently.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my improved converter; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same.

My improved converter comprises a shell 1, lined with magnesite brick 2. The bottom 3 of the converter comprises a central inverted cone-shaped or bellportion 4, and a depressed annular main portion 7 around the bell portion, both of said portions being covered and lined with refractory bricks.

Said central cone-shaped portion supports a twyer block 5 in which are formed twyers 6, arranged as hereinafter more fully described. This central twyer block, raised above the surrounding converter bottom, and forming with the converter wall or lin- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J! an. 5, 119115..

Serial No. 741,697.

ing a depressed annular chamber, constitutes an important feature of my invention, for the following reasons :As the process of converting copper matte progresses, more and more metallic copper is reduced, and said annular chamber or sump, being below the discharge orifices of the twyers, stores said reduced and molten copper in a position removed from the action of the blast. If the reduced copper were not so removed from said action, it would not only become oxidized, but its interposition, between the lighter metallic sulfids and the twyer orifices by which the air enters the converter, would prevent said air from having direct access to said sulfids. Since the continuation of the process requires that heat be furnished by the burning sulfids to maintain the contents in the converter in a molten condition, and since reduced copper has no heat-producing impurities to give off, the contents of the converter would chill before the completion of the process. It is on account of this well known fact that the twyers in a converter of the old style are placed above the bottom of the converter, in order that the reduced copper can accumulate below the action of the air blast. But the twyers are formed in such copper converter of the old style on one side only, so that the air blast action of said twyers is concentrated and localized over an area the proportion of which to the total surface of the liquid matte diminishes as the converter. increases, which localization has decided disadvantages. In my improved form of converter here shown, the twyers 6 are arranged in one or more rings (one only being shown in Figs. 1 and 2) around the vertical axis of the converter. These twyers are directed upwardly and outwardly, and preferably forwardly or tangentially. Since they are directed outwardly, the air currents permeate equally all portions of the contents of the converter as contrasted with the old construction, in which the twyers were directed inwardly from only a the air more efiiciently used, as well as other advantages obtained.

An important feature of my invention is that I make use of a number of twyers many times as great as of those now in use. Present converters use only a small number of twyers., say from 10 to 35, of comparatively large cross-sectional area, the niunber used increasing with the size of the converter. I use about 10 times as many twyers as have been used heretofore, these twyers being of comparatively small crosssectional area, say from 1/10 to 1/20th of the area of those now in common use. The effect of so subdividing the air into a large number of small currents of, say, from 1/4: to 1/2 of an inch is to break up the air into bubbles that offer a comparatively large surface to the molten matte. The oxidizing action is consequently improved, the air is used more efficiently, and less time is required for blowing the charge to blister copper. When a small number of air currents of large cross-section are forced through the molten matte, the useful oxidizing action of the air is confined to the outer circumference of the air currents The central portion of the stream or column of air is prevented from coming in contact with the molten matte by the peripheral portion of said stream or column, and passes through the converter without accomplishing any useful results.

With the old type of side-blown copper converter it is practically impossible to in crease the number'of twyers. materially over that now in common use, whereas in my improved construction of bottom-bloom converter having a raised twyer block there is sufiicient area available to provide a large number of twyers without interfering with the practical use of the converter. The pro vision of this twyer block, raised above the converter bottom 7, has a further advantage that there is onlya moderate height of charge above the top 8 of the twyer block 5, that is, only a moderate resistance to the pressure of the blast through said top, and this permits of materially reducing the degree of said pressure necessary to balance the weight of the molten matte, and therefore to correspondingly save in power. Again, with the new construction, the air is compelled to pass through the molten matte, whereas, in the side-blown converter, a portion of the air escapes, between the converter lining and the matte, without having been utilized to its full extent for oxidizing the copper and iron sulfids and the like. Notwithstanding the fact that the blast passes through the bottom of the converter the reduced copper will be removed from its chilling action and be cooled in the annular chamber below the top 8 of the twyer block. I The copper tap hole 15 and slag discharge opening 17 are formed on one side of the converter, so that the converter can be tilted to the opposite side, the right as indicated by the arrow, and the converter contents are then shifted to a position below a plane indicated by the line ab. It will be observed that in this position the discharge orifices of all twyers are above the molten metal and, being exposed, can be examined, cleaned and punched, if this should become necessary.

The cone-shaped portion 4 of the converter is provided with an air chamber 9, to which is fastened an air pipe connection 10 leading below the converter bottom and up on the outside of the shell into a stufiing box 11, which receives a stationary air conduit 12. The central axis of the fixed air conduit 12 is also the axis about which the converter is tilted. Glands l3 render the joint air-tight, so that the converter can be tilted while a charge is being blown with a full pressure of air. The air chamber 9 is provided with an annular opening 141-, closed by removable plates, through which opening the twyer pipes 6 can be reached and cleaned.

16 indicates a water cooled spout at the outer end of the tap hole 15 for removing the copper, and 18 indicates a water-cooled spout at the outer end of the opening 17 for removing the slag.

19 indicates the converter hood or helmet, and 20 the converter mouth.

The converter shell is secured by means of reinforcing and carrying brackets 21 to supporting quadrants 22, cast integral with flanged circular hubs 23, to which are bolted riding rings 24, supported upon rollers 25, carried in the ends of cradles 20, which are pivoted, as shown at 26, in pedestals 27, which are bolted down on foundation piers 28, said piers being raised sufficiently from the working floor 29 that the converter shell can be turned unobstructedly between the piers.

The means for turning the converter are not here shown, but they may be of the usual construction. For instance, one of the riding rings may be provided with a suitable gear engaged by a pinion driven from a reversible electric motor.

At the commencement of the operation, it being supposed that the converter, either by initial application of heat or by previous operations, has been brought to a highly heated condition, the converter is tilted so that its central axis is in a horizontal position and is then charged with matte, not however above the line ab. The blast is then turned on. The converter is slowly tilted back to its vertical position, when the matte will cover the twyers. To flux the oxidized iron, silicious ore is thrown in through the converter mouth 20 from time to time, or blown into the molten matte in masses the form of silicious sand through the twyers by means of the air blast. Gradually the reduced copper will displace the matte and the copper sulfid in the annular chamber below the top 8 of the twyer block 5, rising in said chamber until it reaches said top. Simultaneously as new supplies of matte and silicious ores are charged through the converter mouth, and the iron is being slagged, the level of the molten content rises, until the slag, which is the lightest material, can flow through the opening 17 and over the spout 18. By opening the spout 16 the copper can be tapped. The flow can be so regulated as to tap the copper in proportion to the amount being reduced and furnished by the converter, or to draw the copper off intermittently faster than it is produced continuously, closing the tap hole as soon as white metal appears. The slag will overflow from the spout 18 in a continuous stream as fast as formed. The amount of the overflow can be controlled by slightly tilting the converter to the left, so as to lower the spout 18, when a larger amount of slag can be drawn off, or by tilting it to the right, so as to raise the spout, when a smaller amount will be drawn ofi' or the flow can be stopped entirely by tilting the conveyer far enough to the right. Thus the spout can be operated Comet of thin patent may be obtained for at will, either as a trap spout, or as an open spout, or the flow can be entirely stopped as occasion may require during the different stages of the process. Any derangement of the copper spout 16 and slag spout 18 does not prevent the process of converting being continued, as in such case the apparatus is used in the same manner as the ordinary converter. The slag can then be skimmed by the converter mouth 20 by tilting the converter to the right. The white metal is next blown to blister copper which is likewise discharged through the mouth 20.

I claim A converter having a circular bottom having a central raised portion, twyers arranged in the top surface of said raised portion only of said bottom, a depressed imperforate annular portion around said central portion, and a cylindrical shell connected with the bottom and provided with openings for the discharge of slag and metal.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HERBERT HAAS.

Witnesses:

F. M. WRIGHT, D. B. RroHARDs.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of ratent,

Washington, JD. 0. 

